Contracted by Fate
by Eldest Tempest
Summary: Homura Akemi has gone through countless timelines in her quest to save Madoka. Through it all, she has endured immeasurable struggles, yet her hope begins to dwindle. When she is offered a way out of the loop, and presented with an alternative method of rescuing her friend, Homura is quick to accept. The solution in question? Winning the Holy Grail.
1. Prologus

**Good day, folks! Eldest Tempest here, this time with a crossover fic, featuring _Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ and _Fate/Zero_. I'm a big fan of both franchises, so I'm hoping that this fic proves to be an adequate story that successfully mixes both franchises. Please let me know if, at any point in the story, there is something that you feel needs fixing. I'm taking any and all criticism in the reviews, so feel free to post what you wish!  
**

 **Prompt: This story was, in part, inspired by some discussions on a forum site known as _SpaceBattles_. While I didn't take part in them, seeing as they were a few years old, I noticed that the idea being discussed never actually made its way into prose form. Therefore, I have endeavored to make this idea a reality, and I sincerely hope it is a worthy adaptation of that idea.**

 **As a fair warning, this story WILL contain _massive_ spoilers for PMMM and F/Z. It is highly recommended you watch both shows, before you start reading this story. **

**In addition, if anybody is interested in becoming a betareader for this story, please feel free to send me a PM! I personally feel that I need some extra opinions on future story elements, as I am, admittedly, still a newbie. I have no issues with sending this to multiple betareaders, as I like to get several pieces of input to better judge how the chapter might be received.**

 **It should also be noted that, at the time of publishing this, it's the birthday for both Madoka Kaname from PMMM and Waver Velvet from F/Z. What are the odds that I'd post a crossover for these two franchises on the same day as that, eh?**

 **Now, I believe that was all that needed to be said in the introductory notes. Go forth, dear reader, and conquer!**

 **Enjoy the story!**

* * *

" _The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination._ " – Marion Zimmer Bradley

* * *

Despair.

It was a term Homura Akemi was all too familiar with, yet had only recently become acquainted with, as she darted from building to building in pursuit of the witch Walpurgisnacht.

 _If I let it get any further_ … she thought, as the familiars of Walpurgisnacht surrounded her, babbling in childish laughter, _the shelter will be attacked_. _Whatever happens, I have to stop it right here_!

Despair: that feeling of utter hopelessness. She had seen it engulf the denizens of this world countless times over. When a magical girl made her wish, her hope made her Soul Gem shine. However, hope would eventually succumb to despair, and the creation of a Grief Seed was all but inevitable. This was the fate of all magical girls. To toil for as long as humanly possible, until they could bear it no longer.

And bear it Homura had. She struggled throughout timelines without count, watching everyone she knew die or despair over and over again. All for the sake of a promise.

A promise made by her to Madoka Kaname.

 _Madoka_. The name alone brought more connotations of grief to her than anything in the known universe.

 _Madoka_. Her first, truest, and perhaps only real, friend. Never would she forget when Madoka Kaname saved her that day from the witch's labyrinth. Nor would she forget that it was for Madoka's sake that she had contracted with Kyubey.

But, most of all, Homura Akemi would never forget the day she made her promise.

A ruined city, similar to the one in the present timeline. Two friends lying together in the liquid depths of their own folly, their energy long since spent. One sacrificing her chance at continued humanity for the other. A tear-filled, heartbreaking request.

" _Then would you… go back and save stupid me before I get tricked by Kyubey_?" Madoka had asked.

" _I swear it_!" Homura had responded then. " _I promise I'll save you_! _No matter how many times I have to go back and try_! _I swear, I will protect you_!"

Then came the action that had changed Homura forever: she was forced to kill her best friend before she became a witch.

The eerie tranquility of that wasteland had shattered with the sound of a lone gunshot reverberating throughout the desolate ruins, followed by the broken sobs of the weapon's wielder.

The familiars surged forward, in an attempt to block off her advance towards the witch. Homura responded with a barrage of rifle fire, destroying two familiars in the process.

Fate, it seemed, had other ideas in store for them, contrary to her goals. No matter how many times she went back, no matter what she did, no matter _what_ she changed, the end result was the same. Circumstances always resulted in Madoka becoming a magical girl, then subsequently dying or turning into a witch.

So, Homura set back the clock, determined to free both Madoka and herself from this cruel performance destiny was putting on, with them as the lead characters in this despicable tragedy. There had to be a way, something she had overlooked.

That was her motive to push onwards. It was what kept her alive. It was the only thing left to her. It was her forlorn hope.

And, ultimately, it was what proved to be her undoing.

" _Say, Homura_ …" Kyubey had mused, back in Homura's residence. " _Couldn't it be that Madoka has been made into such a powerful magical girl because you kept turning back time_? _"_

How…? How had her constant efforts to save Madoka been rewarded with only amplifying the misfortune of the world?

It simply wasn't fair.

Too late, Homura snapped out of her train of thought as an immense skyscraper, flung by Walpurgisnacht and intent on impact, headed straight for her. Distantly, she recalled that this wasn't the first time that this had happened, occurring in a previous timeline where Madoka made the contract at the very last second. Homura decided not to make the same mistake again. She landed on a nearby rooftop, as she reached for her buckler, intending to stop time and skirt around the obstacle.

But nothing happened. She glanced down and noticed that the timepiece was entirely black. She was out of energy.

 _No_ …!

Now, of all times! Destiny, mocking her for daring to work against it, had concocted the same circumstances she had been planning to avoid. Homura returned her focus to the skyscraper, her eyes widening in shock an instant before the building struck her with full force. Her body tumbled through the roof, rubble flying all about her, until it finally came to a halt. The dust soon settled, and Homura assessed the damage.

The immediately obvious thing was that her right foot was trapped beneath a fallen stone and was essentially pulverized. Blood leaked out from underneath the object and spread as Homura tried to wrench her ensnared limb free.

It refused to budge.

 _Why_ …? she thought as blood started to trickle down her face.

Her adversary, Walpurgisnacht, mirthfully continued to cause mayhem and destruction, while it loitered about the city. Debris hovered around the amalgamation, as the surrounding buildings were devastated by its sheer presence.

 _Why_?! _No matter how many times I try_ … _why can't I win_?!

Homura's vision began to blur, and her eyelids slowly began to close, welcoming the blissful rest that unconsciousness would grant her…

Homura jolted back to reality, with a gasp of determination. No, she couldn't let it end here. She _refused_ to let it happen like this. She had to try again… for Madoka's sake.

She propped herself up into a sitting position, reached for the buckler mounted on her arm and turned it, as she had done countless times before. The gears clicked into place, only awaiting the final confirmation for yet another voyage to the beginning of her agonizing perdition.

It was then that she suddenly stopped, struck with realization. Kyubey's words came crashing back to her once more, with a stronger force than Walpurgisnacht could ever hope to throw at her.

 _If I go back again_ … _I'll only make Madoka's destiny worse_ …

She cast her gaze downwards, despondent, as the harsh reality of the situation bore down upon her.

 _Then in the end_ … _Everything I've done_ …

And it was this realization that had taught her the true meaning of 'despair.'

Homura slumped back in defeat, as tears began to well in her eyes. Her Soul Gem, previously a clear purple, began to fill rapidly with the pitch-black darkness so commonly found within a Grief Seed. She could only watch, with her last thread of hope cut like the string of life by the Fates, her inevitable transformation into a witch. As Homura openly started sobbing, her tears flowed forth and dropped onto what would soon be the grave of her very soul.

 _Madoka_ …

If anything, she at least wanted her last thoughts to lie with the friend she would give her life to protect.

" _Homura Akemi_."

Homura was wrenched out of her state of utter anguish by the sound of a voice, which, by all rights, shouldn't be there. Tears still rolling down her cheeks, she scanned her surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the voice's source.

Yet there was nothing to be seen.

" _Homura Akemi_ ," the voice repeated, seemingly coming from everywhere, and, paradoxically, nowhere simultaneously. " _The nomad of multifarious timelines. The keeper of a seemingly impossible, futile promise. The soldier who fights doggedly on in an unbearable conflict_."

Homura's eyes narrowed at the various descriptions of her struggles, stylishly narrated without a tinge of emotion. Spoken like an Incubator, yet the entity sounded nothing like Kyubey. It was then that she realized something.

The sounds of destruction had stopped.

She peered outside. Walpurgisnacht was suspended in mid-air, along with the swirling chaos of several structures surrounding it. That came as little surprise, however utterly no motion could be discerned from what could best be described as the Apocalypse come early. Perplexed, Homura glanced back down at her hand. Her Soul Gem was nearly at the breaking point, and still roiling with negative energy, yet further corruption had all but ceased, which struck her as an even stranger occurrence.

What…? How was that even possible?

" _I wish to speak with you, Homura Akemi…_ " the voice explained. " _Preferably without any obstacles that would disturb our discussion_."

 _So, it was her_ , Homura reasoned. At least, she assumed the entity was female, judging by the tone of voice. "Who… are you?" she asked slowly.

" _I am that which embodies the collective essence of humanity. Their instincts, their primal desires, their turbulent emotions. In simpler terms, I am what you would call the 'drive for survival.' Were I to be called by a name, however, I suppose 'Alaya' would be rather fitting_."

 _Alaya_. That was a name that Homura was unfamiliar with, yet as she mentally repeated it, the name radiated pure power. Evidently, this was not a being to be trifled with.

That brought her to the real question on her mind. "Why are you here?" Homura posed her question forthrightly, a stark contrast to the flowery language Alaya appeared to be fond of. She preferred to solve things directly, and a direct answer is what she now sought.

" _Why, to make a proposition. A contract, if you will_ ," Alaya answered.

 _Contract_. Homura's mind instantly flashed to a certain white furball, calmly sitting in the flooded ruins of Mitakihara City, while Homura wept over the lifeless body of her friend. Alaya claimed to be the personification of human instinct. Every single fiber that made up _Homura's_ instincts told her to immediately turn the cosmic entity down on that offer.

And yet, her curiosity was piqued.

"Explain," she said simply. She was entirely suspicious of this sudden proffer of assistance, but considering that the alternative was her becoming a witch, thus further endangering Madoka's safety, she was at least somewhat intrigued.

 _"_ _There is little that requires an explanation. My offer is simple." Alaya was silent for a few moments, as though considering how to phrase Her next few words. "I offer you the ability to grant Madoka Kaname salvation_."

That last sentence shook Homura to her very core.

 _Save_ … _Madoka_? she repeated to herself, unsure if she had heard properly. Alaya certainly knew how to place a good deal on the table. Still, she narrowed her eyes.

"And in return?" she asked. Considering the results of her _previous_ contract, there had to be _something_ she had to give in exchange. Alaya did not strike her as the charitable type, and She had outright made mention of a contract. Hope and despair needed to balance back out to zero, as the contracts with the Incubator appeared to indicate.

" _How perceptive_ ," Alaya mused. " _Rarely do I find one who sniffs carefully at the meal before digging into it_. _All that I ask of you, Homura Akemi, is servitude to a higher purpose. To contract yourself to the World, and fend off any threats to it you are tasked to deal with_. _Is that such a high price to pay_?"

Homura thought it over. It was a tempting offer, to say the least. One could even say that what she was considering was a deal with the devil. Homura knew firsthand how entities of a higher power liked to twist the wording of a contract. "And if I refuse?"

" _You have little choice in alternatives_ ," Alaya pointed out. " _The moment you choose to refuse my proposition, it will be as if I had never been here. Time will flow naturally once more, and you, Homura Akemi, will lose your very humanity. Suppose that it is yourself, and not Walpurgisnacht, that deals the final blow to Madoka Kaname_?"

 _Unacceptable_. There were many cruelties that fate had dealt out to her, but that would be the worst by far. To end Madoka, the one for whom she had struggled for so long? Anything was better than that, even if that was the small hope lying within Pandora's box, amongst its immeasurable horrors.

"I'll accept," Homura conceded. "On one condition: Will I see her again? Free from any necessity to become a magical girl?"

" _Of course_ ," Alaya replied. " _Her deliverance would be incomplete without your presence_ , _anyway_."

"Then do it," Homura stated. "I accede to the terms of the contract."

" _A wise choice, Homura Akemi_ ," Alaya noted. " _A wise choice indeed_."

For the second juncture in her life, Homura Akemi willingly sacrificed her own well-being for that of her friend. Such a thing was inconsequential to her. For Madoka, any price was worth paying.

Even if that price was her very soul.

* * *

A blinding flare of light engulfed the vicinity as Homura Akemi was granted physical form within the summoning circle meant for another. She flexed her arms experimentally, testing to see whether she had manifested fully and properly. No disappointments to be discovered there. A quick glimpse of her Soul Gem told her that she was at full strength. Not a single inkling of darkness remained within the luminescent diamond that carried her soul. Alaya, it seemed, had kept her word on that particular matter.

The dazzle of color began to die down. Homura ran a hand through her hair and, as she tossed it back, turned to face whoever had summoned her.

"I ask of you," she intoned with a degree of formality. "Are you my Master?"

And with those opening words, the newly made Counter Guardian AKEMI entered the event that would become known as the Fourth Holy Grail War.

* * *

 **It would be remiss of me to not direct some acknowledgments towards those who, knowingly or unknowingly, have inspired, or helped shape the story.**

 **Firstly, a big shoutout to the following authors, whose stories inspired me to write my own: The Wandering Quill for "The Bullets of My Gun", a cracktastic story that, to my knowledge, is the only other one that places Homura within the Fourth War. Dminion, for writing "The Goddess of Hope", a fantastic crossover with PMMM & F/Z. X the Reaper, for his _amazing_ Fate: Zero Sanity story and its sequels. The Infamous Man, for being the inspiration of many a Fate crossover writer. Lastly, SwordOfAllCreation, whose mentions of Kyubey in his series of challenges are what got me to pick up PMMM in the first place. Go take a gander at those challenges, and pick some of them up. I'm sure he'd love for those to be written. **

**Secondly, acknowledgments must be granted to the various denizens of the Internet who wrote up their Servant sheets for Homura. Whilst I've come up with my own sheet, I did forage about to see what other people had done, and therefore, I believe they deserve a mention. They are: X the Reaper (FFN), Shockz (SB), Rowan-Seven (SB), OmniGman (Danbooru), MajinUltima (GameFAQs), and tel3 (Reddit).**

 **Thirdly, my editors for revising this piece countless times. This could not have been what it is without you!**

 **Finally, a massive thank-you to Gen Urobuchi, Kinoko Nasu, Takashi Takeuchi, TYPE-MOON, Nitro+, ufotable, Magica Quartet, Studio SHAFT, Akiyuki Shinbo, Atsuhiro Iwakami, Ume Aoki, and _everyone else_ who was a part of the official franchises for both fandoms. Thank you, all of you, for making such amazing masterpieces. **

**And that's that! I hope this prologue proved intriguing enough to merit additional chapters! I make no promises on when the actual chapter one will roll around, but I hope it will be soon in coming.**

 **See you around!**

 **UPDATE [10/04/17]: Minor edits made to prologue. Major lore error fixed. Prior draft had a passage that described Homura's own Soul Gem frozen in time by Alaya. This would make it impossible for Homura to act or speak, as her Soul Gem carries her SOUL. This discrepancy has since been corrected.**


	2. Salve, Terrae Magicae

**At the time of writing, it is almost October 4, just a day over two years since I first published this story. _Two years_. It's difficult to believe that much time has passed, but... here we are. Not a single update has followed up from the prologue in that amount of time.**

 **That changes now.**

 **That's right, _Contracted by Fate_ is back. After two long years, I'm finally posting the first actual chapter - and, boy, is it a doozy. My word counter places it at 9.3K words, quite the achievement compared to the meager 2K words contained in the prologue.**

 **However, word quantity isn't what determines a good chapter - that distinction lies with word _quality_.**

 **I'd estimate that it took me roughly a full year to write this chapter (yes, that's right, a full 365 days). In truth, this particular chapter ran afoul of an incalculable level of problems. Characterization didn't come across properly, story flow frequently became distorted, one scene even had to be rewritten from scratch a total of three or four times (Try to guess which one!). At long last, after countless drafts, I finally got it to an acceptable condition (I may have to sacrifice a few extra Grief Seeds, though. Just in case.).**

 **So why wait until now to post it? After all, it only took half of the total time gap to write it. Why not post it when it was complete?**

 **Because, honestly, I felt I owed the people who took the time to read the opening prologue more than that. There was no telling how long it would take me to write the next chapter at my current rate. Would the fic even be completed in my lifetime?**

 **So, I made myself a promise. Post this chapter once I develop a healthy backlog of chapters that can be released in relatively shorter periods of time. They wouldn't necessarily be _fast_ updates, but they'd be better than a biannual update schedule.**

 **And so, I am happy to announce I have achieved that goal. Chapter 2 is in its final draft stages (my primary editor was busy for much of this two year period as well, but now work can progress much faster, yay!), and other chapters aren't far behind.**

 **So, to the readers still here and to any newcomers, rejoice! Your wish will finally come true. Thank you for sticking with this fic. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.**

 **Onwards, to paths yet unexplored!**

 **\- Eldest Tempest**

* * *

To say that Kirei Kotomine was perplexed would be a dramatic understatement.

The Holy Grail War was a conflict engineered by the three Founding Families, Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou, for possession of the Holy Grail. Battle was waged between seven Masters who would summon an equal number of Servants to fight in their stead. These Servants would then engage in a battle royale until only one was left standing to claim the Grail. Both the Servant and the Master would then receive the reward of one wish to be granted by the Grail.

At least, those were the 'official' rules. There was nothing that prohibited the Masters from killing each other, or ordering their Servant to eliminate their rivals, for example. Nor was there any strict law on eliminating the competition before the war even started in earnest. If there was a loophole in the system, a magus would seize upon it, and exploit it to the fullest.

There _were_ , however, restrictions to how the _summoning_ of the Grail's combatants worked. Servants were only able to be Heroic Spirits residing in the Throne of Heroes that had accomplished sufficiently noble deeds in life. They absolutely could not be those championing the cause of evil. In addition, due to the Holy Grail primarily serving as a Western concept, only Heroic Spirits from the Western world, as well as the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern areas, could be summoned. Finally, Servants of the Assassin class were universally one of the nineteen incarnations of the Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan-i-Sabbah, due to the word 'assassin' deriving from the Middle Eastern sect of highly skilled killers known as the _Hashashin_.

So, why was his Servant the complete anathema of everything he had learned from his father and Tokiomi Tohsaka?

The summoning ritual itself had gone well enough. The location he had chosen, for instance, was perfect for his needs. Kirei had picked an isolated warehouse, where very little, if any, inhabitants of the surrounding area ventured, thereby preventing any complications should anyone unwittingly witness something they shouldn't. The edicts of the Holy Grail War dictated that any third parties caught up in the crossfire had to be quietly… _removed_ , for lack of a better word, something over which the Holy Church made little fuss over. Cleanup operations were nothing new to Kirei, a former Executor, who frequently undertook dangerous missions from the Holy Church, and performed them with both cold efficiency and a certain degree of zeal.

The actual words he had spoken during the course of the ritual were the same that Tokiomi had instructed him in, word for word. He was absolutely certain that no mispronunciations or other slipups had chanced upon the delicate process. While he hadn't used a catalyst, the Servant that he was aiming to acquire, Assassin, needed no such object: the class itself was his catalyst.

Yet when the dust had settled, what he got was most certainly not the Old Man of the Mountain.

* * *

 _Kirei raised one arm over his face, as a blinding burst of polychromatic light engulfed the warehouse. When it died down, and the smoke began to disperse from the circle, Kirei slowly lowered his arm to see if he had been successful._

 _Well, the ritual had certainly resulted in_ something _._

 _He had been expecting the ebony-skinned figure of one of the nineteen Hassans._

 _What he got was something else entirely._

 _A girl, no older than fourteen by Kirei's estimate, stood within the circle. She had long, silky, raven black hair, held in place by a headband of the same colour. She was dressed in a white jacket that only reached just above her wrists, with a grey coloration at the collar and a dark purple at the ribbon on her back. This appeared to be worn over a black undershirt, also with a ribbon, similarly colored to the other one, near her neck, and longer in arm length than the jacket, and a grey miniskirt. She also wore black tights with some form of diamond pattern. Her skin was of a very light, pale hue, and, were he to guess, she appeared Japanese, like himself. To complete the set, mounted on her left arm, was a small buckler, which appeared to Kirei as mechanical in nature, though what lay within the shield, he could not say._

 _What caught his attention the most, however, as the girl ran one hand through her hair, and tossed it back, turning to fully face him in the process, were her violet eyes._

 _From something his father had taught him back in his childhood, and during his time spent as an Executor, Kirei had learned that you could tell much about somebody from their eyes, the so-called 'windows to the soul' – and he saw much in them._

 _While her face was a stoic mask of cold indifference to her surroundings, her eyes betrayed something… more. Resolution and steely determination were immediately evident, but lurking beneath that, he perceived a realm of incalculable sorrow. What she had experienced specifically, Kirei could only guess at, but he was able to formulate this much._

 _They were the eyes of somebody who had looked into the very mouth of Hell itself, and even then, resolutely pressed onwards with their duty._

 _In summation, Kirei concluded, this was not Hassan-i-Sabbah._

 _"_ _I ask of you," the Servant intoned, pulling Kirei's focus back to the present matter. "Are you my Master?"_

 _Kirei glanced down to his hand, where the Command Seals were located. While not glowing as brightly as they were during the summoning, they still maintained a faint aura about them, seemingly in tune with the Servant standing before him._

 _He moved his eyes upward, and met her steely gaze. "I am."_

 _She briefly regarded the Command Seals, before dipping her head in a slight nod. "Then the contract is complete. I am the Servant Assassin for the duration of this war."_

* * *

And thusly, their partnership had begun – with immediate complications.

In order to remain unseen by any non-participants, Assassin had attempted to switch to spiritual form, but found herself incapable of doing so. Perplexed by yet another irregularity, Kirei inquired about the reasoning, whereupon Assassin retorted that he had somehow blundered during the summoning. He was sure that he had done everything properly, yet it appeared that Assassin's mere existence was not the only anomaly. As it so happened, Assassin possessed an alternative means of blending in, temporarily solving the issue. Even so, it was a discouraging start, as they now lacked the full mobility and stealth a Servant could muster.

Once back at the church, Kirei had explained the situation to his father, who had, in turn, informed Tokiomi. His teacher had requested Kirei's presence at the Tohsaka manor, so that he could personally explain matters, and that was now where Kirei was preparing to leave, after a few moments of self-reflection and introspection.

The Master of Assassin sighed, as he departed the tranquil sanctuary of the church. Hopefully, his Servant, despite the already noteworthy disadvantages, could prove herself an adequate replacement for the one he had intended to gain.

As he exited the building, one question that had prodded at him continuously throughout his contemplation forced its way to the fore once more.

If Assassin was not Hassan-i-Sabbah, then who was she?

* * *

 _Fuyuki_.

That was the name of the city that the Servant now known as Assassin found herself in. Dressed in the uniform of Mitakihara Middle School, Assassin wandered the streets, her Soul Gem currently assuming the shape of a ring on her left middle finger. Runic markings adorned the ornament, and a purple diamond shape was imprinted on her fingernail.

Assassin sighed with a tinge of resentment. It was regrettable that, as Servants, any attire alternative to what they used in life had to be acquired in the real world. That was bothersome. It would have been far simpler if she could simply assume spiritual form, and observe the other combatants from afar.

Luckily, she found that her Soul Gem still allowed her to change into whatever attire she was wearing prior to her battle gear – in this case, her uniform. While she had attempted to become inconspicuous by blending in with the crowd, her choice in apparel appeared to be having somewhat the opposite effect.

After all, a middle-schooler dressed in an unfamiliar uniform, with no connection to any of the outlying schools, invited attention.

In retrospect, it was not the greatest of solutions, however, with her inability to enter spirit form, Assassin had little choice in alternatives. She had told Kirei that he had somehow bungled the summoning, but truthfully, she wasn't sure _what_ the cause was. Her contract, perhaps?

Nevertheless, it was better than walking around in her magical girl outfit, with the shield visible for all to see. That would have been even worse. At least this way, she would be identified as a regular member of society, a student from a foreign institution perhaps, rather than as a Heroic Spirit.

Not that the Counter Guardian was a Heroic Spirit in the traditional sense, to begin with.

With that thought in mind, she opted to pause at the end of the sidewalk she was walking, directing her gaze skyward, as she contemplated the information now flooding her mind.

So, this was the event known as the Holy Grail War. The Grail had instantly informed her that she had been summoned under the Assassin class, the Servant that lurked in the shadows and struck down the Masters, rather than its fellow Servants. Rather fitting, in retrospect, yet Archer or Caster would also have sufficed. Upon her summoning, the Grail had begun filling her mind with numerous details about the time she was in, although it had little need to do so. As someone from the near future, rather than the distant past, Assassin was more or less acquainted with the workings of life in this time period.

In fact, she thought to herself, as she began to glance about the busy intersection, if she had to guess, she had only gone back a few decades at most. Some of the technology was more old-fashioned than what she was used to, but this came as little shock to her.

After all, why should a time traveler be mystified by the past?

Still, there were some things she wanted to verify for herself. While the information on this world's magic was most certainly useful, and an interesting contrast to that of her own, there were more… practical things she wanted to find out firsthand. After the formal manner with which the Incubator had conducted itself, namely the withholding of information until the worst possible moment, Assassin mistrusted anything that she herself could not corroborate.

She would have to acquire the answers herself.

Assassin walked to the wall of the last building on the block, leaning against it for a few minutes, as she watched the passersby. Then, she decided to put her plan into motion, suddenly lurching forward, as if she was about to faint. Hopefully, she didn't simply collapse onto the sidewalk, regarded as just another piece of refuse. That would serve little purpose in her plan, and would frankly be somewhat embarrassing.

Thankfully, she was almost immediately caught by a man in a business suit. It seemed altruism wasn't entirely dead, after all. A certain bluenette she knew likely would have rejoiced at that.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"F-Fine, thank you," she replied, feigning nervousness, and adopting a polite tone. She was reminded of her old self from the first few timelines, as her old mannerisms resurfaced in her speech. "I just had a bit of a spell. If it's not too much of a bother, sir, could you please tell me where the nearest station is? I need to catch a train to Mitakihara City, but I'm a little turned around."

The man tilted his head to one side, as Assassin steadied herself on her own two feet. "I've never heard of anywhere called Mitakihara, but the nearest station is a few blocks away, over there." He gestured to the left with his arm to illustrate his point. "Are you sure you're alright, miss?"

"Completely," she asserted, "but thank you for asking."

As the man walked away, concern still evident on his features, and perhaps a little bewilderment as well, Assassin turned in the opposite direction.

That was one thing confirmed, at least. In this world, Mitakihara City did not even exist.

That further led her to substantiate a theory that had been brewing in her head for quite some time. This world she was in was not the one she was used to. Alaya, by logical deduction, was also an entity foreign to her world.

Therefore, that left her only one course of action: Fight in the war, win the Grail, and save Madoka.

Of course, such a task was easier said than done – especially given the fact that her Master had no intention of actually _winning_ the Grail.

Ah, her Master. In a stroke of twisted irony, her first chance at saving Madoka had resulted in her becoming the Servant of one who was only acting as support for another Master. At first, Assassin had been somewhat intrigued by the man who called himself Kirei Kotomine. From the moment she first entered the world as Servant Assassin, the Counter Guardian could tell that there was more to him than initial appearances suggested. Although Kirei seemed to maintain an eternally placid expression, Assassin still managed to notice some traces of inner turmoil. What it was that was tormenting him, however, she could not say. She admittedly did not know much specifically about her Master, but she did know that he was an expert combatant in the service of the Holy Church, some form of secretive organization within the ranks of the Catholic Church. In fact, he seemed much like herself, in a way, from what she had gleaned. Both carried out their respective tasks with almost single-minded zeal and determination. Whatever thoughts or reservations they had on the present matter were swiftly banished, in order to focus on their objectives. For herself, Madoka was paramount. For Kirei Kotomine… she didn't know what it was he wanted.

Even so, her Master appeared to actually be competent, and even worthy of her respect. Perhaps rescuing Madoka was now more than a fragile wish, and could be classified as a tangible goal.

Those hopes were quickly dashed to pieces, once she was briefed on her role in the Grail War.

* * *

 _"_ _We have arrived," Kirei said simply, as he came to a halt at the entrance to Fuyuki Church._

 _The building stood separate from the rest of the city, with an iron gate set in place on the pathway. The paved path, in turn, led to the church itself, and from the outside, it appeared to be a well-maintained building, painted entirely in white. It was an unassuming structure all told, but looks, Assassin knew, could be deceiving._

 _Her Master raised one hand to the wooden double doors, then rapped on the wood a few times in succession. The door was quickly answered by a man wearing attire similar to Kirei's, but with the noticeable addition of a cassock. Although he was elderly, with a graying mullet, he was by no means frail, and appeared to be quite fit, looking as though he could pick a fight with the yakuza, and emerge from the scrap victorious._

 _"_ _Welcome, my son," he intoned, swinging the door open to admit Kirei._

 _"_ _Thank you, father," Kirei replied, quietly slipping into the building._

 _"_ _I trust that the summoning went well?" the man asked._

 _An expression of discomfort crossed Kirei's features. "That remains to be seen."_

 _The elder priest's eyebrows shot up at that. "Are you saying that the ritual has failed?"_

 _"_ _More like it… suffered an error," Kirei explained. "I did indeed succeed in acquiring a Servant, however it was not the one I was expecting."_

 _Assassin chose that moment to make herself visible, stepping from behind her Master. The priest started slightly at her abrupt appearance, while Kirei glanced behind him and merely regarded her with a look of… apathy._

 _Assassin bowed her head slightly at the other two present. "Servant Assassin, at your service."_

 _"_ _Rather young for a Servant," the priest remarked. "What trials did you have to endure in life, child?"_

 _Assassin's eyes narrowed at that. "Enough to justify my presence here," she answered simply, then continued. "I understand that I am not the Heroic Spirit you intended to summon, but I assure you, I am just as capable. Shall I offer a demonstration?"_

 _The elderly man raised a hand at that. "That will not be necessary, thank you. I am certain you are as good as your word. Now, just what could have caused the ritual to go in this direction…?" He frowned slightly, and adopted an expression indicating that he was lost in thought._

 _Kirei did not offer a reply to his fellow man of the cloth and instead turned to face his Servant. "Assassin," he spoke in a crisp, commanding tone. "Were we followed at any point in our journey?"_

 _"_ _Not a single trace of Magecraft was evident, Master," Assassin replied, hesitating slightly at the term she addressed Kirei with. She was still unused to such formalities. "If I were to hazard a guess, I would suspect that either not all of the other Masters have arrived at the battlefield, or else, they are preparing in their own fashion."_

 _"_ _I see." Kirei nodded, somewhat satisfied with the answer. "I suppose introductions are in order." He gestured to the other man in the room. "This is my father, Risei Kotomine, and the Mediator for the Fourth Holy Grail War."_

 _Risei inclined his head in Assassin's direction, apparently having finished with his contemplation. "A pleasure to meet with you, child."_

 _"_ _Likewise, Father Kotomine," Assassin returned, deciding not to raise any complaints about the appellation given to her. "Might I ask how it is that the Mediator's son is participating in the Holy Grail War?"_

 _"_ _The reason for my son's acquisition of Command Seals is something that still eludes us. My son is not like most magi in that he was born with Magic Circuits, without having a longstanding bloodline. It was by the grace of God he received them, and I suspect this is His way of guidance," Risei replied._

 _For a split second, Kirei's expression changed to that of doubt. Assassin took notice of it, but within moments, it returned to the dull countenance she was used to. Interesting._

 _"_ _However," Risei continued, seemingly unaware of his son's dubiety, "we intend to capitalize on this stroke of good fortune. As the Holy Church has no desire for the Lesser Grail, we have instead aligned ourselves with the Tohsaka family's head, Tokiomi Tohsaka. His wish for the Grail is simply to reach Akasha, the goal of many magi, and does not affect our own material world. Therefore, unbeknownst to the other Masters, we will be supporting mister Tohsaka from the shadows."_

 _Now it was Assassin's turn, as her normally indifferent expression briefly contorted into an amalgamation of shock, disbelief, and anger, though she quickly tilted her head in a different direction to avoid showing it._

 _"_ _I… see," she gritted out. "So, my Master has no wish for the Grail?"_

 _Risei nodded. "None whatsoever."_

 _Assassin subconsciously curled her hands up into fists, and she began to squeeze them, in an effort to keep the emotions roiling inside of her in control. "If I may…" she began, steadying the tone of her voice. "May I conduct a reconnaissance of the city first? I'd like to acquaint myself with the battlefield, before other Servants arrive. Any advantage we can obtain for mister Tohsaka is worth pursuing, no?"_

 _Risei studied her for a few moments, then nodded. "I see no issues with it. Now, if you will excuse me, I must inform Tokiomi of these recent tidings. Kirei." He directed that final word at his son, offering a nod of farewell, before striding off._

 _The Master in question turned to face his Servant. "You're not pleased with these circumstances," he noted._

 _Assassin only inclined her head at that, letting out a breath that came out as more like a hiss than anything else. She only just noticed that she had begun shaking._

 _"_ _Regardless of whether the other Masters have yet to enter the fray," he continued, not bothering to pry into the reasoning behind Assassin's issues with the plan, something she was grateful for, "you must be cautious. Do not attract unnecessary attention."_

 _'_ _Attract unnecessary attention?' Did he not know how the Assassin class operated? Or was this a barb at the unorthodox Servant that had materialized in place of the one expected?_

 _Assassin took a deep breath to compose herself. "I understand. I will move quietly."_

 _Kirei inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Good. Survey the area, then return here. I will give you further instructions then."_

 _"_ _As you wish." Assassin offered a formal bow, something she was unaccustomed to, then took her leave._

* * *

Assassin shook her head, clearing her mind of the past. For now, she was assessing the battleground. There was little point in dwelling on what had recently occurred.

Perplexed eyes followed her and heads craned in confusion, as she continued to walk amongst the locales of Fuyuki City, and more than once, she heard mention of a serial killer roaming the streets as of late. Well, there would be plenty of _those_ soon enough. They were all killers, after all, Servants and Masters alike.

Her mind wandered again to the confrontation at the church, and she inwardly cursed herself for allowing her emotion to show externally. Had the contract with Alaya weakened her control of her emotions? The only one that was capable of doing that was…

She grimaced, as a tidal wave of emotion struck her once more. Not a full day in, and her wish was to be treated as mere refuse. As if Madoka was something so low. Seek out a higher plane of existence? A fool's errand.

Still, the current mindset of her Master was troublesome. Fighting for the sake of someone else's wish was not something she had accounted for. Nor was she too particularly inclined to acquiescing on sacrificing her own wish. That left her two options. Either she could slowly convince her Master to strike out on his own, or quite simply find a new one. Neither solution had a surefire chance of success.

Assassin sighed out of irritation at the situation. Well, for now, she would play along. Once she had acquired enough information, she would make her decision then. In the meantime, her reconnaissance still demanded her attention.

There was one last thing she wanted to do.

* * *

"This is quite an intriguing predicament, Kirei."

Tokiomi Tohsaka sat at the large wooden table, located in the center of his underground workshop below the Tohsaka family manor, pouring himself a glass of wine, as he faced his student.

Kirei stood at the opposite end of the table, arms at his sides, wearing that constant expression of indifference to his surroundings. Since his induction as Tokiomi's apprentice three years prior, Kirei had worked rigorously at the art of Magecraft, surpassing many in the field of sheer diligence. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a lineage intrinsically linked with a magus family, Kirei could never truly master a specific field of expertise. Therefore, to compensate for that, he had studied a broad range of subjects, tossing aside one for the next once he had acquired all the information he possibly could.

The one exception to this was spiritual healing, an art in which Kirei had managed to surpass even Tokiomi himself, much to Tokiomi's surprise. Perhaps it had something to do with his occupation, as a member of the Holy Church.

Tokiomi continued. "For the second known occurrence in the Heaven's Feel, a Servant outside of the established rules has been summoned. Quite the phenomenon, wouldn't you say?"

"Indeed," Kirei responded. "I myself am still not quite sure how it happened. Everything proceeded by your instructions."

"And yet, something still managed to slip in and interfere," Tokiomi noted, pondering the possibilities. "Are you certain about your Servant's identity?" Tokiomi had heard from previous Grail Wars that the Servants summoned were not quite what their Masters were expecting. Some were even the opposite sex of their depictions in legends and histories.

"Completely," Kirei asserted. "This Heroic Spirit bore no resemblance to the mysterious heads of the _Hashashin_. Nothing I am aware of even bears the slightest similarity to her."

"That may soon change when the dreams begin," Tokiomi opined. Throughout the duration of the Holy Grail War, Masters and Servants would share a memory bond, typically when the Master was asleep, allowing them to view the past lives of their Servants, and learn more about them. Tokiomi was, admittedly, slightly intrigued about the anomaly that was this war's Assassin and who she was in life. "Will she be able to perform her part of the plan?"

"That is difficult to say," Kirei confided. "She herself has asserted that she is just as competent as any other Assassin. Her willingness to participate, however…"

Tokiomi quirked a brow at that, taking a sip from his wine glass as he did so. "You mean to say she is against it? For what reason?"

"That, I did not inquire on," Kirei answered. "If I were to guess, perhaps there is a wish she wants granted, and was… disappointed, to find that would not be the case."

"One with a wish, and one without," Tokiomi remarked. "Although I am glad we are working together on this, Kirei, it still surprises me that there is nothing at all you would want from an omnipotent wish granting device such as the Grail. Even after three years, you still have nothing?"

"I have no need for such a fulfillment. There is nothing I desire from the Grail. I live only to serve the will of God, and that is all that I need," Kirei replied, his answer remaining exactly as it had been for the past three years Tokiomi had been acquainted with him. Kirei Kotomine truly was an oddity in a world full of desire.

"I see." Tokiomi nodded once, drinking from his wine glass once again. "Well, I suppose once the other Servants are summoned, the plan will be adjusted as we learn more about their capabilities – but on to other matters. The spy I've placed in England has some information."

"Is it truly so wise to have an informant within the heart of the Mage's Association?" Kirei inquired. The Clock Tower, residing within the sprawling metropolis of London, was home to some of the deadliest magi on the planet.

"While the risk is great, it is best to gather information about the other Masters as soon as possible, so that we may develop tactics to use against them. Besides, the Tohsaka family has many… friends within the Clock Tower. Our informant will proceed unhindered." Tokiomi drew out a piece of paper, inscribed with his informant's report, and put it on the table. "It appears that a member of the Archibald lineage has acquired a catalyst for the Holy Grail War. Whether this means he will actually be participating remains to be seen." After all, Tokiomi reflected wryly, it would hardly be the first time a magus was killed by another for an artifact in their possession.

"And the other Masters?" Kirei asked.

"The Matous and Einzberns will no doubt have representatives of their own, as they are part of the Three Founding Families. Who either of them are, however, is a mystery," Tokiomi explained.

"I see." Kirei appeared contented with that, for now.

Truthfully, Tokiomi wasn't sure who either of the Masters would be. Zouken Matou's eldest son, Kariya, had renounced the ways of Magecraft, much to Tokiomi's irritation. To discard the pride and dignity that came with being a magus… little else could be more of an insult to him than that. As for the Einzberns, their representative would likely be a homunculus, which, despite being no threat to an experienced magus, was nevertheless unpredictable.

He decided to change the subject. "On the topic of catalysts, however, my own should be arriving shortly. With luck, the Servant summoned through it will negate any drawbacks that may arise, as a result of the, well… _unusual_ instance earlier today."

Kirei offered a slight nod at that.

Tokiomi sighed, tapping one finger on the table, as he chose how to phrase his next words. "There is one other thing I would like to discuss with you, Kirei. In preparation for the fourth Heaven's Feel, I plan on sending Aoi and Rin away to her family in a neighboring district, where they will be out of harm's way."

"A wise precaution," Kirei noted.

"Indeed. The Holy Grail War is a conflict solely between Masters and Servants. Third parties have no necessity to get involved." Tokiomi paused, a slight smile playing onto his features. "Although, I would say that my daughter Rin is becoming quite envious of you, Kirei."

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, his pupil's tone remaining decisively neutral.

"As you are my student in the upcoming war, I have had less time to provide advice to her. During your time as my apprentice, you have also acquired a far greater degree of knowledge than she possesses. It's only natural that she would feel a bit resentful," Tokiomi explained.

"I'll be sure to make reparations at once, then," Kirei replied, in a completely deadpan tone.

Tokiomi chuckled, unable to discern whether he was serious or making an actual joke. Gaia knows the man could use a sense of humor. "Of course. As the successor to the Tohsaka family and all of its secrets, she needs to retain her pride as a Tohsaka." He stood up from his seat, picking up the wine glass and finishing it off. "I believe that is all we needed to discuss, Kirei. During any future visits to my estate, however, it would be for the best if your Servant were present as well, in the event of outside observation. We cannot afford the other Masters to learn of our alliance."

"I will do as you say." Kirei offered a polite bow to his teacher, then stiffly turned about, and began to head towards the stairs leading to the surface.

As his student reached the base of the steps, however, a sudden thought crossed Tokiomi's mind. "Kirei," he called out. "Just where exactly _is_ Assassin?"

Kirei turned his head to glance at his mentor, then offered a shrug. "No doubt acquiring munitions and familiarizing herself with the city." With that said, he continued on his journey up the stairs.

 _What_ …? Tokiomi thought. Why would a Servant need to concern themselves with…?

Truly, this Grail War had proven itself as a contender for the strangest one yet.

Tokiomi sighed, moving back to his workshop. As he poured himself another glass, he had a curious feeling that he was going to require far more of the vintage than he presently possessed.

* * *

Throughout the city of Fuyuki, numerous industries existed to support its infrastructure. Within these industries, there consequently existed a system that could be funneled into a simple formula. Resources were needed to create products, and those products required storage. Some creations, then, required larger, and more secure, locations than most.

It was such a location that Assassin was carefully watching from the shadows of an alleyway.

She was fortuitous. It was only by chance that she caught wind of an arms warehouse located within the city. Further… investigations soon revealed its location, and the means of entry.

The lack of personnel, however, seemed anomalous. Undoubtedly, there were surveillance cameras planted around the facility, yet the vacuum of human presence was unusual. Was there truly no need? Or had the mutterings of Fuyuki's serial killer made this portion of the city uneasy?

Regardless, raiding a munitions storehouse was nothing out of the ordinary for her. During her various attempts to save Madoka, she had acquired an incredibly diverse armament with which to defeat Walpurgisnacht.

But it was never enough. Assassin had constantly expanded her resources, even acquiring some heavy ordnance, but nothing had ever fazed the witch.

Unfortunately, she had depleted her entire arsenal in her battle with Walpurgisnacht, and was consequently left with nothing for the subsequent service as a Servant. When she discovered this, she quickly concluded that she would have to obtain equipment from a nearby storage facility. No military bases were in convenient range, as in Mitakihara, so it was likely her resources would be limited.

Yet another inconvenience amongst many since her summoning.

Bottling her frustration inside, Assassin stretched out her arm, willing the Soul Gem to return her to her magical girl attire. In a flash of light, her school uniform was quickly replaced by the outfit to which she had grown accustomed.

Still keeping her eyes on the warehouse for any indication of activity, Assassin raised her buckler to her chest, and concentrated intently. Within her shield, the components whirred away before abruptly clicking to a stop.

Immediately, the world around her adopted a grayish hue. Time had bowed to her whims once more.

Assassin, now able to operate openly, strode over to the warehouse's entrance, eyes searching for the keypad that permitted entry. Upon finding it, she punched in the numbers that she had managed to extract from her informant. _1711_.

The keypad clicked with an affirmative, and Assassin then turned her attention to the entrance. She grasped the handle of the door, and, with some effort, heaved the object of entry open. The metal grated as it slid against the warehouse wall, yet Assassin paid it no mind. Time was still under firm confinement, negating any possibility of discovery.

The warehouse was a spacious building, filled to the brim with wooden crates, covered with dusty old tarps. Assassin strode down the aisles, scanning each crate intently as she passed. Eventually, she halted at one of them, throwing off the tarp, and cracking the lid open.

She was greeted with the sight of varying models of firearms. As Assassin reached down to pluck one up, a sudden thought occurred to her.

What exactly would she do with the other Masters?

It was the Assassin class' mandate to eliminate the other six Masters in the Grail War, but it occurred to her that killing was something that she was reasonably unaccustomed to.

She plucked a submachine gun out, studied it for a moment, then passed it into her buckler's storage compartment.

Certainly, she had _done_ it before. Sayaka Miki more often than not became a witch whenever she contracted, forcing Assassin to put her down. Sometimes, the same would happen to others around her. She had even threatened to kill Sayaka on one occasion, _before_ she became a witch, if she continued causing Madoka emotional pain.

And once… once she had had to kill Madoka.

She banished the image that continually haunted her at once from her mind. No, not that. Never again. She had accepted Alaya's contract to make sure that incident never repeated itself. There were some things that the time traveler could do without re-living.

Assassin moved on to a different compartment, opening the container and finding some plastic explosives stored therein.

Keeping a mental tally of what she had acquired thus far, she shifted to a different part of the warehouse.

She had never had to harm the musician physically incapable of playing his own instrument. Nor had she done the same to the friend of Madoka's who would inevitably cause Sayaka to spiral downward into despair. And she most certainly had not harmed anybody else close to Madoka.

Everybody she had been forced to kill was involved with the process of becoming a magical girl – something that none of this world's denizens even knew existed.

Thus, a rather problematic issue had now presented itself.

Assassin paused in her plundering of the arms cache to weigh her options.

Certainly, there was nothing that specifically requested the other Masters to _die_. The knowledge that the Grail had provided merely stipulated that the _Servants_ had to be eliminated. A task simpler said than done. Assassin was unsure as to how her abilities would measure up to the other six Servants.

Eliminate the Masters, however, and perhaps that would be a non-issue. Without any prana giving them physical form, a Servant would simply vanish. It would be a far more expedient task, the only opposition she had to it was…

Madoka. Madoka would never approve. Her soul was far too pure and kind to brook such actions.

A soul Assassin had been struggling to maintain in that manner for so very long.

Yet Madoka was worlds away. Assassin knew not what events were happening concurrently there, yet she knew that what she had left behind, as with so many timelines, was untold amounts of suffering. The most powerful witch in history laying waste to the city. The citizens, Madoka amongst them, huddling in terror, wondering whether their time had come.

Was something like morals, born only out of desire to respect her friend's values, really worth…?

Assassin raised her head.

 _No_.

Nothing was worth sacrificing Madoka over. Throughout her attempts to save her, she had slowly become an entirely different person. Her nervousness had evaporated. She grew to stomach more and more unpleasant necessities. She was forced to disregard other friends. All of this resulted in someone other than the timid girl of the past. All focused on that _one, single goal_.

Therefore, what was one more thing to add to the list?

After all, she mused as she glanced down to her Soul Gem, she could hardly call herself _human_ , could she?

Assassin grimaced, as that thought passed through her mind, turning on her heel to peer at the entrance of the warehouse. Already, it appeared that the sun was nearly setting. Her Master would be expecting her back soon.

She exited the warehouse, and as she returned to her Master, she allowed time to march onwards once more. All told, it had only taken a few minutes. A quick study of her Soul Gem revealed some specks of grime within the otherwise bright phylactery. Assassin frowned at that. Cleansing it would be problematic later on, as witches were non-existent in this world. Another problem to be addressed.

Her form shimmered, as her clothing soon returned to the attire of Mitakihara Middle School. She had acquired what she wanted from here: enough equipment to last her for at least a week, and provide suitable defenses for both herself and her Master. With luck, that would prove more than sufficient for the trials ahead.

Assassin continued putting distance between her and the storehouse. Although the initial problems that had assailed her before the war had even started were proving to be a nuisance, Assassin would deal with them systematically. No matter what hardships came her way, she would prevail.

Servant Assassin was ready for the Fourth Holy Grail War.

* * *

"Homura… chan?"

Madoka Kaname could scarcely believe her eyes. Her last surviving friend was gone.

She knew Homura could not defeat Walpurgisnacht, and so, she had rushed from the shelter, despite her mother's wishes, to try to save her.

More to the point, after constant situations requiring her to make the contract, endless dangers threatening her and her friends, and her own indecision on whether she truly wanted to be a magical girl, she had finally discovered an answer.

She knew what it was that she would wish for.

It was ingenious, and she was frankly surprised that she had even come up with it. The inspiration had come from Homura. Hours before Walpurgisnacht arrived, Homura had told Madoka that she was a time traveler, and had been looping time over and over to try and save her. At the time, Madoka hadn't known what to say: she was still reeling from the loss of both Kyoko _and_ Sayaka, her best friend.

During the time in the shelter, however, the basic structure of her wish began to come together in her mind. Her conversation with Kyubey had only served to strengthen her conviction. Homura's entire quest was pinned on the hopes of saving her. The moment she gave up, she would become a witch. Madoka couldn't bear to lose another dear friend.

She had to save her.

As she raced out of the shelter, straight towards the epicenter of the disaster, her wish took a more definitive form. Homura's wish was to keep her alive and protect her from Walpurgisnacht.

So, what if Walpurgisnacht never existed? What if _witches_ never existed?

It was incredibly convoluted… but at its core, it was so utterly _simple_.

Even so, it was a dangerous wish to make, and the repercussions could be disastrous. Nevertheless, Madoka felt she had to try. Not just for Homura's sake, but for everyone else as well. Sayaka, Kyoko, Mami, all of the magical girls that had been betrayed by Kyubey and succumbed to despair.

She had finally found a purpose in her life.

But just as quickly, that purpose endured a major blow.

Gone. Homura was just… _gone_. She had _heard_ her only moments before and then… the sound sputtered out, like a dying flame.

Madoka stared at the bloodstained spot where Homura had been. The crimson liquid in question pooled out from a piece of debris, and collected on the surface around it.

She was at a loss for words.

Kyubey leapt from her shoulder onto the ground, and paced up to the debris, tilting his head in interest.

' _Intriguing,'_ he noted, speaking via the telepathic link they shared. _'It seems that Homura Akemi has inexplicably vanished from the world. A small loss in the battle against entropy, but a loss nonetheless.'_

 _'_ _Even though I predicted you would arrive in time,'_ he continued, _'it appears that my calculations were incorrect. Oh well.'_ He turned around to face her, staring up with his unblinking crimson eyes. _'Madoka, you are now the only one capable of defeating Walpurgisnacht. You need to make the contract with me.'_

Madoka continued to stare blankly ahead, acting as if she hadn't heard him. Kyubey's motivations for getting her to contract were anything but humanitarian – he was concerned solely with acquiring his energy quota and that was all. Anything else that resulted from the contract was just a byproduct of fate, and certainly didn't affect him.

' _Madoka_!' she heard him say more insistently. ' _The longer you wait, the more time you grant to Walpurgisnacht! If you wish to save the city, you_ must _make the contract!'_

"Homura… chan…" she mumbled.

A nearby building collapsed and Walpurgisnacht shrieked with raucous laughter. Madoka didn't even stir at it.

Kyubey scampered closer, glancing in the direction of the witch at liberty to do as it pleased within Mitakihara. _'Do you want the sacrifices that have been made for you to be in vain? Mami Tomoe's? Sayaka Miki's? Kyoko Sakura's?'_

Tears began to well in Madoka's eyes, as Kyubey counted down the names of her friends. The creature was cruel without even realizing it, and each question cut like a knife to her core.

 _'_ _Even Homura Akemi's?'_

She broke down. The teardrops that had been forming burst like a dam, and flowed down her cheeks. Every time she tried to take in a breath, it came out as a pained hiccup, raw with grief. All of the despair she had been bottling up since she encountered Sayaka's witch came out then and there.

All the while, Kyubey watched with complete indifference.

 _'_ _Even after thousands of years of observing you, I still don't understand you humans. You allow emotions to block and delay you from the logical decisions you need to make, especially when they are most needed. There are surely more important things to be doing that demand your attention.'_

"P…please…" Madoka gasped between sobs.

Kyubey remained silent for a few moments.

Then the sounds of Walpurgisnacht's laughter grew closer.

 _'_ _Madoka!'_ Kyubey resumed right where he had left off. _'You cannot continue grieving! If you continue to delay, Walpurgisnacht will destroy the shelter, and everyone in it! You_ must _make the contract_ now.'

Madoka sniffled, and wiped her eyes with her arm, then gave a weak nod. Tears still trickled down, and she took a deep breath to try to calm herself. Grief still pierced her as sharply as any mortal blade, but she now had to focus on her wish. She mentally phrased what she was preparing to say, ensuring that she didn't make a misstep.

Kyubey stared expectantly at her, awaiting the deed that would grant the universe a further reprieve from entropy. _'Now, Madoka Kaname… what is the wish you will pay for with your soul?'_

With this decisive wish, she hoped she could prevent all of the tragedy that had dogged the steps of every magical girl for millennia.

"… I wish-"

" _To do nothing_."

Madoka started, taken off-guard by the presence of a third party. Kyubey gave no reaction, but he was most likely as perplexed as she was.

' _Interesting,'_ Kyubey mused. _'An entity that is neither a magical girl nor a witch. No manifestation of physical form. Capable of selective timestops. Another anomaly, along the same lines as Homura Akemi.'_ Kyubey's ears perked up with scientific curiosity. _'What are you?'_

" _I am of much the same likeness to you, Incubator,"_ the voice answered. _"I am one who contracts individuals to defend humanity against any threats unto it. I am called Alaya."_

 _'_ _How curious. We have found no mention of an 'Alaya'… and we have scoured the universe up to its very boundaries,'_ Kyubey noted.

 _"_ _I am hardly surprised. Not many are capable of utilizing, or even know of, the Second Magic."_

 _'_ _The Second Magic?'_ 'Alaya,' it seemed, had his full attention.

Madoka could only stare in confusion at the exchange between the two entities. At the mention of 'timestops,' however, she directed her attention towards Walpurgisnacht, while her thoughts still lingered on Homura.

To her astonishment, Walpurgisnacht had ceased any and all movement. The witch that had proved to be the unstoppable obstacle to all magical girls was dealt with almost… _casually_.

Filled with newfound awe, she turned back to Kyubey and Alaya.

 _'…_ _I see,'_ Kyubey stated. _'This information will certainly necessitate a significant reevaluation of what we have previously thought of as 'fact.' However, you are intervening in something of great importance to the universe, and I must ask why you have come.'_

 _"_ _I have come specifically_ for _that, Incubator,"_ Alaya replied. _"I am here to deliver crucial information to Madoka Kaname."_

"M-Me?" Madoka asked, still trying to wrap her head around what was happening.

 _"_ _Indeed. I am preventing you from committing a grave error. It was Homura Akemi's request."_

 _'_ _Homura Akemi?'_ Kyubey inquired, whilst Madoka simultaneously asked "Homura-chan?!"

 _"_ _Correct. Homura Akemi has made a deal with me. In exchange for saving you, she has sworn herself to my servitude. I am afraid our bargain countermands any wish you make."_

 _'_ _Illogical,'_ Kyubey cut in. _'The system of contracting has been proven to grant nearly anything to the consenting party.'_

 _"_ _Only if another contract does not supersede it, Incubator,"_ Alaya retorted. As Alaya spoke once more, it seemed to Madoka as though She was now addressing her directly. _"_ _I am truly sorry, Madoka Kaname."_

"No…" Madoka whimpered. All of these sacrifices could not have been in vain. That was simply too cruel to comprehend.

 _"_ _It is impossible for your wish to undo what has already been done. The contract of becoming a Counter Guardian is final. Unless…"_

That saving grace got her attention. "Unless?" she prompted.

Alaya seemed to pause before giving answer. _"Tell me, Madoka Kaname… are you familiar with the Holy Grail?"_

The question took her by surprise. The Holy Grail? She was a diligent student in school, but she had never heard of anything called by that name. She shook her head in response.

 _"_ _I see,"_ Alaya noted. " _Then I shall phrase this within simplistic language. The Holy Grail is a device that grants the user any wish they desire. However, in order to do so… they must claim it."_

"And… how would they do that?" Madoka tentatively asked. This began to bear a striking resemblance to the system of magical girls.

 _"_ _By killing any and all opposition."_

Madoka froze as the words sank in. People _killed_ for this? "That… that's wrong." Even as she spoke, however, she already recalled the lengths magical girls would go to for a Grief Seed. Kyoko's rhetoric on the 'food chain' was particularly prevalent.

 _"_ _It is not much different from what the 'magical girls' of this domain do, is it not?"_ Alaya countered, as though She had read her mind. _"You kill your own comrades over 'Grief Seeds' to stay alive for a longer period of time. It is no different here."_

"Is… is that necessary?" Madoka said.

 _"_ _In order for the Holy Grail to grant the victor's wish, all other Heroic Spirits must be vanquished, yes. This is hardly a concern, however. Heroic Spirits do not truly die in the sense you are familiar with, and will simply wait for the next opportunity to be summoned. Killing the Masters is also entirely optional,"_ Alaya explained.

'Heroic Spirits?' 'Masters?' Madoka felt there was much that still needed to be elaborated on, yet even with the mention of bloodshed, she found this unexpected alternative to be… somewhat appealing, comparatively speaking. "Would I be a Master in this…?" She trailed off, unsure with what name to call the conflict.

 _"_ _I cannot confirm that to be absolutely certain. In the end, it is the Grail that chooses the Masters, not I, but… it is a possibility. Perhaps even a likely one,"_ Alaya noted.

"Then… I can save Homura-chan?" Hope began to well up inside her once more. It seemed almost too good to be true.

 _"_ _That and more. All you need do is accept my invitation."_

 _'_ _Madoka…'_ Kyubey, who up until that point had remained silent, interjected. _'This does not seem reasonable. There must always be an equal amount of force to keep the karmic balance of hope and despair. The very laws of the universe dictate this.'_ Kyubey's head swiveled to face the air. _'You are withholding something.'_

 _"_ _You, of all people, would know best, Incubator… but everything I have spoken of is wholly the truth,"_ Alaya retorted. _"Madoka Kaname needs only to win the Holy Grail, and she will be able to save both her friend and anyone else she desires."_

 _'_ _You don't understand,' Kyubey replied. 'Madoka Kaname is the only one capable of saving the universe from entropy. The energy generated from the contract would be enough to single-handedly solve the problem. We have searched long and hard for a solution, and the only one that we have discovered is the magical girls.'_

 _"_ _Have you not considered that even_ entropy _can be solved by the Grail? When I stated that the Grail is_ omnipotent," Alaya paused mid-sentence, _"it was no exaggeration."_

Madoka's head began to swim, as the two entities debated the fate of the universe, and the scope of the situation only increased at the mention of the Grail's omnipotence. There appeared to be no limits to what the Holy Grail could do. What _couldn't_ it do?

 _'_ _Why did you not inform us of this sooner?'_ Kyubey inquired. _'This would have been a far more efficient solution, saving us thousands of years' worth of time.'_

 _"_ _I had no need to come here. I am primarily concerned with my own universe, Incubator, as you are yours."_ Silence reigned for a couple of moments, before Madoka got the distinct impression that if Alaya had a physical form, She would be turning to her right now. _"Madoka Kaname, I have made my offer to you. I now await your answer."_

Madoka's brain reeled at that. What should she do? On the one hand, she could commit herself to the process she had already been planning to do… at the cost of her own soul and the loss of Homura. On the other, there was a chance that she could still achieve what she wanted to do, _and_ keep both her soul and save Homura. The offer was far, far too tempting. One question nagged at her, however.

"What about Walpurgisnacht?" Madoka gestured to the terrifying witch still suspended within the flow of time.

 _"_ _Time flows differently based on the fluctuations of the Kaleidoscope… and should you succeed in your endeavor, Walpurgisnacht will prove to be a non-issue, regardless. Is that not what you desire?"_ Alaya said.

Madoka wavered for the slightest of seconds, then slowly nodded. "Yes."

 _"_ _Then you accept my offer?"_ Alaya asked.

"I do. I want to save everyone. My friends. My family. Everyone," Madoka affirmed.

 _"_ _You have a noble heart, Madoka Kaname… let it guide you on your quest."_

Those were the last words Madoka heard from Alaya before she was abruptly thrust into a nauseating whirlwind of color and shapes that escaped the scope of description in any human language. Such a rainbow of images could not be called anything but a Kaleidoscope.

 _Homura-chan… now I'm returning the favor. This time, I'll be the one to save you._

And as Madoka Kaname plunged through layers of reality, she regretted nothing.

For why should one regret helping those most in need of their assistance?

* * *

Kyubey watched, as the individual with the most magical potential he had ever seen was transported to another realm entirely. His tail swished back and forth, and his innocuous features betrayed nothing regarding his thoughts on the event that had just transpired.

The loss of Homura Akemi _and_ Madoka Kaname was indeed troubling… and this entity which called itself 'Alaya' had taken both. So, there were others within the vast stretch of the cosmos that carried out a similar purpose to his own kind… and yet, it seemed that Alaya had entirely different goals from the Incubators. This and more bore further investigation.

Thus reaching that conclusion, Kyubey directed his attention back to Alaya. _'You have an agenda.'_

 _"_ _Oh? And what brought you to that deduction?"_ Alaya inquired.

 _'_ _All living things desire something, no matter their level of sentience,'_ Kyubey explained, his tail still rhythmically swishing behind him. _'You are the embodiment of humans… a species which, as we have discovered, are particularly keen on their desires. It was logical to assume that you too would be susceptible to such a concept.'_

 _"_ _Very clever, Incubator. You are correct, of course. I do indeed want something… and that is humanity's survival. I have full faith that Homura Akemi and Madoka Kaname will be able to ensure that,"_ Alaya said.

 _'_ _We will be watching how events unfold very closely,'_ Kyubey stated.

 _"_ _Such is to be expected. By all means, do as you will. Who knows? Perhaps it may even prove to be enlightening."_

 _'_ _You believe there is something we may yet learn from this?'_ Kyubey asked.

 _"_ _Oh, indeed. I expect for there to be quite the spectacle."_

* * *

 **And that's that! Once again, I apologize for the severe delay it took in publishing this chapter. Hopefully, I've appeased any angry pitchfork-wielding crowds. Ha...ha..ha...  
**

 **Did you find which scene it was? If not, did you find the little Easter Egg I snuck in there? I guess I'll find out with the reviews!**

 **So, a few things I want to go over here at the bottom A/N, as well... the top A/N would have spoiled it. This is a regular thing I'm intending to do for each chapter, and it serves primarily as an insight into my deranged mind and may offer a bit of worldbuilding to boot.**

 **So, first things first: Kirei. Why pick Kirei? Wouldn't Kiritsugu be the better Master, as the two are so similar?**

 **Admittedly, this is the idea I toyed with initially. It made sense, after all. However, Homura as Kiritsugu's Servant has already been done - and I'm the type who likes to break the mold. One thoughtful reviewer on SpaceBattles indicated that the two of them had a very similar methodology. It's true, they do.**

 **They do, however, possess a very key difference: ideology. Namely, the many over the few vs. the few over the many. It's a slight difference linguistically, but it means the world once you dig into the meaning of the terms. Wouldn't their relationship be far more interesting if they were rivals?**

 **That also has an effect on Kirei and his story arc. Here, he has a Servant that acts very similar to everyone's favorite Magus Killer. How will that change the show's events? I won't divulge any plot details, of course, but it's something I want to leave for early speculation.**

 **Next, we come to Homura's Servant Class: that of the Assassin. I've asked a lot of people on what Class they think best fits Homura, and results have been evenly split on Archer and Assassin. Hell, I even mention Archer as an alternative in the narrative. Yet I feel that Assassin is the best fit for series-era Homura. Most of her time is spent shadowing Madoka, making sure she doesn't contract. Her arsenal during the fight with Walpurgisnacht, whilst impressive, is something we don't get to see much of. That's not to say Archer wouldn't be a possibility at all. For an in-universe explanation, it's pure happenstance and chance that Homura was summoned as Assassin, not Archer. Kirei was the first to summon his Servant, intended to be an Assassin, and thus Homura was chosen, no doubt with some strings getting pulled by Alaya.**

 **A quick point before I move on: those who regularly read Fate crossover fics will notice the locale Kirei summoned his Servant in as the same general location used in many other fics. To my knowledge, this trend started with The Infamous Man, and has since become something of a tradition for crossover writers. May as well continue the lineage.**

 **For the next few scenes, we alternate between Homura and the Masters. These scenes lay some early groundwork for Homura's limitations in the Holy Grail War. Homura is an anomaly: a Servant not directly summoned from the Throne of Heroes. She is a Counter Guardian with an incomplete contract, and so cannot even function at full Servant capacity like other Counter Guardians such as EMIYA can. Instead, she's far more similar to the King of Knights in this regard. Both of them have made as-of-yet unfulfilled contracts with the World. Therefore, both of them have drawbacks preventing them from operating at full strength. No doubt it will be interesting to see how Homura will bypass these obstacles - she'll probably find a way.**

 **Lastly, we come to the final two scenes in the chapter: we return to Mitakihara where Homura had left it. Mitakihara is still undergoing the equivalent of a disaster movie. Personally, I've always been interested in exploring a "for those left behind" scenario. Most works of fiction I've looked at tend to focus on the protagonist's story, never giving any thought to the home they left behind. I toy with that idea a bit here. Was it really the right choice?**

 **For Madoka, it doesn't matter. What _does_ matter is that her friend is in trouble - and this is where we see a change in the traditional narrative of a Fate crossover.**

 **A typical Fate crossover will have a character from the universe participate in a Holy Grail War. Sometimes, more than one combatant will be changed as well. Sometimes, all of the combatants are non-canonical.**

 **It's not unheard of, but certainly not common, to directly introduce elements from the other universe into the traditional formula. That entails all sorts of additional calculations you need to perform if you want to pull it off. Everything has to be credibly adaptable to the Nasuverse - a universe that is already incredibly complex and convoluted as it is.**

 **So, naturally, I decided this was a swell idea.**

 **From the very get-go, this fic's plan was "Make a genuine crossover of these two series, including elements from the other half." I want the universe of _Madoka Magica_ to have a broader impact on _Fate/_ than is typically seen. How much can we toy with the rules of both stories? What sort of exciting concepts can we introduce?**

 **Well, for now, things have already become _very_ interesting with Madoka's almost-certain involvement in the main story. I'm very curious to see the repercussions that readers may predict as a result of that choice. It's already been foreshadowed that the universe will have a further impact... but I think I'll stay silent on what else I may have in store.**

 **Finally, we talk about the entity behind everything so far: Alaya. Alaya is typically represented as an impersonal entity within canonical works, though I've seen fanworks toy with the idea of the Counter Force having a more direct involvement with events. What exactly are Alaya's motives in interfering with the instance in Mitakihara? Kyubey certainly has an interest in them. Beyond that, I can't say.**

 **Without giving spoilers, this does mark the end of Alaya's direct involvement for the majority of the story. Too much usage of a near-conceptual entity would lead to flagrant practice of Deus Ex Machina, something I'd like to avoid. From here on out, the characters have to figure things out on their own - and what a fun ride that will be!**

 **And that's it for now! Tune in next time for chapter 2 of _Contracted by Fate_. Any questions unanswered, provided they don't spoil the plot, will be replied to via Private Messaging or, more likely, the opening Author's Note for chapter 2, particularly if it's something that needs to be clarified for many people.**

 **Until then!**

 **\- Eldest Tempest**


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